Yes, yes, I’m still a little skeptical about the outcome at CBS News and the Free Press after Bari Weiss’ ascent at Paramount/CBS. It may take a lot more than a determined journalist to raise the Tiffany Titanic from the depths of narrative propagandizing and corrupt politicking, and as a happy subscriber to the Free Press, I wonder how long its “independent” nature will last under Skydance/Paramount corporate pressures.
That skepticism does not prevent me, or us, from taking satisfaction in the panic ensuing in all the right places, however.
Of all the dumb takes out in the Protection Racket Media, this may be my favorite:
I mean the amazing thing is that they mentioned Dan rather
There are at least a dozen other reporters they could’ve named. Ffs, they used to have Walter Cronkite. Instead they named the guy who resigned in disgrace after peddling fake documents. https://t.co/4FKvXjk6ST
— (((Aaron Walker))) (@AaronWorthing) October 7, 2025
Ahem. Bari Weiss now runs CBS News in large part because of Dan Rather. The decision by CBS News and 60 Minutes II to use fabricated Texas Air National Guard documents was an attempt to throw a presidential election by using a bad campaign smear to impugn George W. Bush’s military record — just a few years after cheering on an admitted draft dodger in Bill Clinton. Dan Rather fronted that segment, and then refused to admit the corruption behind it, even after CBS News repudiated it.
Power Line was among the forefront of sites that exposed the corruption in 2004, and yesterday Scott Johnson briefly noted Rather’s role in attempting to float the “fake but accurate” argument that became emblematic of the mainstream media. Scott wrote this in direct rebuttal to the article highlowlighted by Aaron and Amy above:
The distraught reaction of Salon “senior writer” Sophia Tesfaye is unintentionally funny: “From Dan Rather to — Bari Weiss? How far CBS News has fallen.” Ms. Tesfaye claims “over eight years of experience in the political journalism field.” She may not have been born in 2004.
Those of us who were around at the time are likely to have a different perspective on the hiring of Bari Weiss as CBS News editor in chief. Students of history “in the political journalism field” may recall Andrew Heyward’s blunt assessment of relevance. Heyward was president of CBS News at the time of Rathergate. He hasn’t spoken much about the scandal for public consumption, but he talked about the Rathergate film Truth to the New York Times in September 2015.
Heyward told the Times that the film “takes people responsible for the worst embarrassment in the history of CBS News” — that would be Dan Rather and Mary Mapes — “and what was at the time a grievous blow to the credibility of a proud news organization, and turns them into martyrs and heroes. Only Hollywood could come up with that.”
Did CBS News learn anything? Twenty years later, nearly to the day, 60 Minutes cooked their interview with Kamala Harris in an attempt to rescue yet another Democrat from the consequences of her own ineptitude. That episode cost CBS News and Paramount not just lost credibility but also $16 million, to the loud objections of The Dan.
Next up, the Free Beacon offers a number of examples of the Very Bari Hairy Freakout among the Protection Racket Media cognoscenti:
— “A throwing up emoji is not enough of a reflection of the feelings in here.” (Anonymous CBS staffer to the Guardian)
— “People are using words like depressing and doomsday – feels like some sort of doomsday.” (Anonymous “reporter” to the Independent)
— “What the fuck?” (Anonymous CBS “source” to Zeteo)
— “I think the ombudsman, Bari Weiss, and the impending massive layoffs that are coming in a couple of weeks have everyone just kind of freaking out, like, literally freaking out.” (Anonymous CBS “journalist” to the Independent)
— “We don’t know what the hell her job is going to be. I mean, ‘editor-in-chief’ – what does that even mean. It makes no sense. Where does she fit in the hierarchy?” (Anonymous CBS “source” to Zeteo)
Weiss reports to Paramount owner David Ellison. Are we to believe that CBS “journalists” can’t read an org chart or know what the term “editor in chief” means? Actually, yes, that’s easy to believe, which provides plenty of evidence that Ellison needs a housecleaning at the Tiffany Titanic.
The Free Beacon has plenty of other examples, but this one stands out:
— “The thing about Bari Weiss is how fucking boring she is, she’s not even bad in a fun way. Anyway, congrats. I will continue not relying on cbs news.” (Rolling Stone contributor Asawin Suebsaeng)
Well put … from a representative of the platform that had to pay millions of dollars in damages for publishing a hoax that fell apart under mild scrutiny. Maybe Sabrina Rubin Ederly can also be reached for comment.
Almost as amusing: an opinion piece at MSNBC complaining about Weiss’ bias. Most of it is whining. but this may take second prize behind Rolling Stone for The Most Un-Self-Aware Reaction of the Week:
The Free Press has painstakingly built its public identity around no-fear-or-favor journalism — claiming to offer the “quality once expected from the legacy press, but the fearlessness of the new” — but its record demonstrates that this is just a hollow branding exercise.
MSNBC used to preen itself in the exact same way. In fact, so did NBC News, ABC News, and CBS News, along with many other media outlets that push progressive narratives without shame. Maybe they don’t like competition.
All of this serves to remind us of how difficult Bari Weiss’ task will be. Will she succeed? As Andrew Malcolm and I discuss in the podcast below. The odds are stacked against her. But that doesn’t mean we won’t be entertained as all the right people keep freaking out over her new position.
The latest episode of The Ed Morrissey Show podcast is now up! Today’s show features:
- The Bari Weiss Era begins at CBS News. Will she restore credibility and fairness to the Tiffany Network, or will Weiss get buried by the progressive establishment at CBS?
- Andrew Malcolm seems more optimistic than I am about the prospects. We also discuss the changes this week at the Washington Post.
- Plus: What does the Schumer Shutdown tell us about our political culture — and does anyone really care?
The Ed Morrissey Show is now a fully downloadable and streamable show at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, the TEMS Podcast YouTube channel, and on Rumble and our own in-house portal at the #TEMS page!
Editor’s Note: The mainstream media continues to deflect, gaslight, spin, and lie about President Trump, his administration, and conservatives.
Help us continue to expose their left-wing bias by reading news you can trust. Use promo code POTUS47 to get 74% off your VIP membership!
